A delegation composed of three members of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) held last week talks with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Moscow.

The two-hour talks zeroed in on Sochi congress due to be held by the end of this month and the Turkish military aggressions on Syrian territories, according to the SSNP’s Politburo Member Dr. Ahmad Mer’ei, who made it clear that the delegation visited Moscow at the invitation of Russian Foreign Ministry.

Expanding diplomatic relations between Syria and Brazil is one of the key outcomes of the recent visit paid by Brazilian parliamentary delegation to Syria, Bashar Yazigi, a Syrian Member of Parliament told the Syriatimes e-newspaper on Sunday.

The MP said that a Brazilian ambassador will be appointed as soon as possible in Damascus and this will cement the relations between Syria and Brazil, which is one of the BRICS members.

“The appointment of Brazilian ambassador to Syria will help reactivate parliamentary relations," Yazigi, who chairs the Syrian-Brazilian Friendship Association in the People’s Assembly [parliament] stressed.

Military and strategic expert, retired Brigadier-General Haitham Hassoun has underscored that the failure of terrorist groups and their operators in Ghouta battle has undermined their plot to make the Syrian state offer concessions in Geneva and Astana talks and to move its forces from the main fronts in Idlib and in the south and west of Damascus.

 He told the Syriatimes newspaper that the terrorist groups and their operators sought to force the Syrian army to leave Eastern Ghouta of Damascus and to connect defense lines between Mdira, Erbin and Harasta areas to reach Damascus-Homs road in order to create a new situation on the ground to put further pressure on Syria during Astana and Sochi talks.

Iran plays pivotal role in Syrian economic, military and political files in coordination with the Syrian government and within the framework of Syrian sovereignty, Housen Ragheb, the Syrian Member of Parliament, told the Syriatimes e-newspaper on Saturday.

The MP, who occupies the position of Deputy Chairman of Reconciliation Committee at the People’s Assembly [Parliament], made it clear that Iran had been engaged in several reconciliation deals, such as al-Foua and Madaya deals.

“It is known that Iran is also a main party in Astana talks on Syria and we hope that these talks will help end war and push political process forwards,” he said, indicating that the recent meeting between the Iranian parliamentary delegation and the members of the Syrian-Iranian Parliamentary Friendship Association in Syria dealt with enhancing cooperation between the two countries in Parliamentary, economic and cultural fields.

Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church has underscored that providing relief aid, achieving development and explaining the reality of events to the West have been the main activities of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate during the crisis in Syria, started in 2011.   

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II told the Syriatimes e-newspaper that the relief works have mainly been done by St. Ephrem Patriarchal Development Committee (EPDC), which has offered immediate help and assistance to all those in need, while development has been achieved through creating job opportunities and funding small projects that help families, to earn their own living and to have some small income, especially the youths.